Too late to apply for Walmart Internships?

[yellowstarfish]

Hey everybody, just wanted to ask a quick question. Does anybody know when the deadline is for Walmart summer internships? Their website doesn't have any information that I can find about deadlines or even locations. Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks!

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[bacillus1]

My friend was just telling me about this program. He said the deadline passed. You could always call them and ask though.

 

[pharm B]

Any of the store pharmacists should be able to get you in contact with their District Manager, who can fill you in on the details.

 

[tablet]

Has anyone done the 10-12 week summer internship program with Walmart. Are there any other summer internship programs for pharmacy students that do not commit you to working year round.

 

[pharm B]

Any of the big chains (CVS, wags, Walmart) have summer internships, and none of them "commit" you to working year round. In most cases (from what I've seen), you're lucky if you get that opportunity. Most of the internships end, and your employment ends with it, or they keep you on in what is essentially a tech role.

 

[bacillus1]

Any of the big chains (CVS, wags, Walmart) have summer internships, and none of them "commit" you to working year round. In most cases (from what I've seen), you're lucky if you get that opportunity. Most of the internships end, and your employment ends with it, or they keep you on in what is essentially a tech role.

I think Walmart has (or at least had) a summer-only program. As far as other summer-only programs, Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic have them, but both are insanely competitive and from the posts on here it seems like the deadline for Hopkins has passed this year. The VA has the VALOR program, which is a summer-only thing for P3 students, but again is very competitive in most locations. I know the deadline for that is pretty late though. There may also be other things specific to your region. For example, there's a summer public health internship available to students in pharmacy schools in Philly and Pittsburgh, which doesn't count toward your intern hours, but IMO is still something good to put on your CV.

 

[pharm B]

I know the Walmart interns in our area are given the opportunity to remain with the company as interns during the school year. They work a weekend or two a month. It's not a bad deal if you have the time to do it.

 

[owlegrad]

Any of the big chains (CVS, wags, Walmart) have summer internships, and none of them "commit" you to working year round. In most cases (from what I've seen), you're lucky if you get that opportunity. Most of the internships end, and your employment ends with it, or they keep you on in what is essentially a tech role.

Exactly! All the big name pharmacies have summer internships (Wags has cut back the last two years though) and you are lucky to stay on after they end. Usually there is a budget for interns, once that budget is used up your payroll comes from the store's budget. You have to be "worth it" for them to keep scheduling. Finding a summer job is pretty easy, IMO.

Not sure about the bit about a tech only role though. Almost every pharmacist I work with (with the occasional odd ball) loves having an intern around to handle the workload. Most pharmacists will let you work to your capacity I think. Resources flowing to their highest ordered use and all that jazz. 😉 Of course the tech work has to get done, but that applies to a summer job as well as it does any other. Not sure what you meant by that b. 😕

 

[pharm B]

Not sure about the bit about a tech only role though. Almost every pharmacist I work with (with the occasional odd ball) loves having an intern around to handle the workload. Most pharmacists will let you work to your capacity I think. Resources flowing to their highest ordered use and all that jazz. 😉 Of course the tech work has to get done, but that applies to a summer job as well as it does any other. Not sure what you meant by that b. 😕

Depending on the company, the interns who stay on with the company after the summer get their hours from the tech hours pool instead of a special intern money pool. They get to function as interns, and get paid as such, but they're also working in a tech's spot, so if tech duties need to be done, the intern does them.

 

[owlegrad]

Depending on the company, the interns who stay on with the company after the summer get their hours from the tech hours pool instead of a special intern money pool. They get to function as interns, and get paid as such, but they're also working in a tech's spot, so if tech duties need to be done, the intern does them.

I think we might be saying the same thing.

To me, that sounds exactly the same as an internship. Perhaps I have not had a "good" internship, but all of mine have been the same. I can do all the intern-y stuff I want, but the tech work has to get done first. The only difference is where the hours are coming from. That's why you have to be worth it for the store to keep scheduling you. There might be one less tech once the intern hours are used up (if the intern keeps getting scheduled that is), but that doesn't change anything about the nature of the work.

 

[pharm B]

I've only interned in a hospital setting, but I know there we were exclusively pharmacist interns. We were shown how the various filling processes and systems worked, but then we stayed with our preceptor. I heard it was the same in retail during a summer internship where your hours are paid for by corporate. But once the corporate hours go away, there is no "intern" position to fill. You are now a tech/intern.

 

[owlegrad]

I've only interned in a hospital setting, but I know there we were exclusively pharmacist interns. We were shown how the various filling processes and systems worked, but then we stayed with our preceptor. I heard it was the same in retail during a summer internship where your hours are paid for by corporate. But once the corporate hours go away, there is no "intern" position to fill. You are now a tech/intern.

Not in my experience.

I suppose it varies by preceptor, but every CVS I have interned at has me work whatever station (pickup, dropoff, w/e), and do intern-y things on top (counseling, transfers, w/e). The only difference is, during the summer I am more like extra help b/c of the intern budget and during the school year I am more like a tech. But the job is the same either way. Work a station and do intern stuff on top. Most of my friends have had the same experience.

The hospital internship sounds neat. What did you do all day? The "problem" may be me, but it is the same for me at the hospital. I fill meddispense, do credits, make deliveries, IV's, ect. and with any leftover time I do intern stuff. I figured most interns are like that, but perhaps not.

 

[Ackj]

I suppose it varies by preceptor, but every CVS I have interned at has me work whatever station (pickup, dropoff, w/e), and do intern-y things on top (council, transfers, w/e).

What council did they appoint you to?

 

[owlegrad]

What council did they appoint you to?

Haha, smartass. 😉

 

[pharm B]

The hospital internship sounds neat. What did you do all day? The "problem" may be me, but it is the same for me at the hospital. I fill meddispense, do credits, make deliveries, IV's, ect. and with any leftover time I do intern stuff. I figured most interns are like that, but perhaps not.

Our first week was spent learning the general pharmacy operation. The second week was IV certification per the company's protocol. Every week after that was spent in an "area of focus." For example, I really liked being exposed to oncology pharmacy. We'd attend the morning meeting of the oncology clinic, figure out who needed chemo that day, start that prep, and also verify neutrophil counts/ roadmap status, etc.

Oncology seems really interesting, but I've heard the BCOP exam is a tough one.

Truth be told, I'm still completely open-minded about what I want to do post-grad. Hell, why not look into toxicology?

 

[owlegrad]

Our toxicology lecturer made the topic really fun (IMO), but it's not something I would be interested in long term. We do have toxicology rotations though (I think they are at the toxicology hotline place, not sure though), and I suppose they might be interesting for the right people. We also have an overseas toxicology rotation, I have a friend doing that one. Not sure what it involves, sounds interesting though.

I have an interview in Feb for a pharmacist job once I graduate. I didn't realize they would start so far from graduation. Makes the whole thing seem real or something, ya'know? Scary.

EDIT: I think it is good you are still open minded. I think it is silly to be dead set on any one area before rotations. I feel like that is part of the point of rotations, getting to sample a bunch of different areas to see what the best fit is.

 

[bacillus1]

I have an interview in Feb for a pharmacist job once I graduate. I didn't realize they would start so far from graduation. Makes the whole thing seem real or something, ya'know? Scary.

Well, CVS has been interviewing since almost a year ago. Rite Aid is interviewing now. Everyone seems to be interviewing earlier and earlier, with residency deadlines also getting earlier.

 

[owlegrad]

Well, CVS has been interviewing since almost a year ago. Rite Aid is interviewing now. Everyone seems to be interviewing earlier and earlier, with residency deadlines also getting earlier.

I suppose if I get a job that will be nice, less stress and such (though I have never stressed about it to be honest). It doesn't feel real though. Interviewing in your third year for a job as a pharmacist?! Don't get me wrong, I have had a suspicion for awhile now that I would be a pharmacist after I graduate 😉, but having an interview for such a thing feels...surreal? 😕

I can't wrap my head around it.

 

[bacillus1]

I suppose if I get a job that will be nice, less stress and such (though I have never stressed about it to be honest). It doesn't feel real though. Interviewing in your third year for a job as a pharmacist?! Don't get me wrong, I have had a suspicion for awhile now that I would be a pharmacist after I graduate 😉, but having an interview for such a thing feels...surreal? 😕

I can't wrap my head around it.

Oh you're P3, yeah that's super early. I thought that you were P4.

 

[Ackj]

I suppose if I get a job that will be nice, less stress and such (though I have never stressed about it to be honest). It doesn't feel real though. Interviewing in your third year for a job as a pharmacist?! Don't get me wrong, I have had a suspicion for awhile now that I would be a pharmacist after I graduate 😉, but having an interview for such a thing feels...surreal? 😕

I can't wrap my head around it.

That's crazy early. I mean, fall of P4 is fairly common, and even that is early since you're like 9-10 months from having your license. But interviewing Feb '12 for a job in July '13? Sounds insane to me. Did they mistake you for a P4?

 

[owlegrad]

Oh you're P3, yeah that's super early. I thought that you were P4.

Thanks!

That's crazy early. I mean, fall of P4 is fairly common, and even that is early since you're like 9-10 months from having your license. But interviewing Feb '12 for a job in July '13? Sounds insane to me. Did they mistake you for a P4?

Very possible. I will double check that. Good thinking. 👍

 

[owlegrad]

No, this is what the email says:

2013 Graduates: this will be your final interview with CVS, you will be meeting with the pharmacy supervisor to interview for your final position, licensed pharmacist. We interview all next year’s graduates one year out and make our employment offers to those selected in September of each year.

So we don't find out until September. Why interview in Feb I wonder then? 😕

That is still pretty far out.

 

[owlegrad]

I like that it says my final position is "licensed pharmacist".

 

[Ackj]

No, this is what the email says:



So we don't find out until September. Why interview in Feb I wonder then? 😕

That is still pretty far out.

Yeah, some students got offers in September, so I guess that's right, just didn't know they interviewed so early.

 

[owlegrad]

Yeah, some students got offers in September, so I guess that's right, just didn't know they interviewed so early.

If I had to guess, I might say that this is first round interviews for current interns. Why they do it so far in advance is beyond me, but I will be happy to have one less thing on my plate.

Now that I think about it, they probably do it in Feb because we start rotations in March.

 

[CUpharmD2013]

If I had to guess, I might say that this is first round interviews for current interns. Why they do it so far in advance is beyond me, but I will be happy to have one less thing on my plate.

Now that I think about it, they probably do it in Feb because we start rotations in March.

I haven't received anything like this yet and I'm also a P3 with CVS. Maybe it varies by district and yours has found that it's better to jump on things early.